My thoughts on the Phillies season.

The Phils slim playoff hopes stay alive as they come from behind to defeat the Mets, 3-2.

A two-run blast in the top of the ninth by Ryan Howard keeps the Phils slim playoff hopes alive as they come from behind to defeat the Mets, 3-2.

The Phils took a quick 1-0 lead in the first as Jimmy Rollins starts off the game with a lead-off home run, his twenty-second home run of the season. The Mets tied the game up at one-all in the third as, with a runner on second, and with two men out, Daniel Murphy hits an RBI single, knocking in Ruben Tejada, who had earlier singled, then stole second base. The Mets took the lead in the sixth as David Wright hits a lead-off home run, his eighteenth home run of the year, giving the Mets a 2-1 lead. The Phils regain the lead in the ninth as, with one man on, and with two men out, Ryan Howard hits a two-run bomb into the right field seats, his eleventh home run of the season, scoring Chase Utley, who had just walked, giving the Phils a 3-2 lead. That would be the final score as Jonathan Papelbon came in and collected his thirty-sixth save of the season as he threw a scoreless ninth.

Cole Hamels received a no-decision as he pitched sixth innings, giving up two runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out ten. Antonio Bastardo, Justin De Fratus and Phillippe Aumont would combine for one and one-third scoreless innings, giving up two hits (Aumont) and a walk (Bastardo) between them, while striking out four (Bastardo (2), De Fratus (1), Aumont (1)). Jeremy Horst (2-0, 1.11) got the win as he pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up a walk. Jonathan Papelbon received his thirty-sixth save of the year as he threw a scoreless inning, giving up a hit, while striking out a batter. Matt Harvey also received a no-decision as he pitched seven innings, giving up a run on a hit and three walks, while striking out seven. Bobby Parnell collected his seventeenth hold of the season as he pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit, as he struck out two. Josh Edgin committed his second blown save of the season before taking the lost (1-2, 3.86) as he pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up two runs on a hit and a walk, while striking out two. Jon Rauch pitched a third of an inning, striking out the only man that he would face.

The Phils had only three hits in the ballgame, a home run by Jimmy Rollins (RBI), a single by John Mayberry, Jr. and a two-run home run by Ryan Howard (2 RBIs), as they were otherwise handled by Mets’ pitching. The Phils also had four walks in the game.

The Phils (75-74, 3rd) will conclude their series with the Mets (66-82, 4th) with a nightgame tonight, the make-up game for this Tuesday’s rainout. The game will be played at Citi Field and is to start at 7:10 pm EDT. Tyler Cloyd (1-1, 4.95) will start the game for the Phils, coming off a no-decision against the Astros on September 13, as he went only three innings, giving up three runs on five hits, as he struck out four, in the Phils’ 6-4 lost. He will be trying to improve on his last two starts. The Mets will counter with Jeremy Hefner (2-6, 4.99), who last pitched, in relief, against the Brewers on September 15, as he went an inning, giving up a run on a hit, in the Mets’ 9-6 lost. He will be trying to keep the Mets from being swept. The Phils will be going for the series sweep.

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